Restaurant Spotlight: Benjamin Steakhouse

Benjamin Steakhouse has all the trappings of a traditional man's man lair: deep cherry wood furniture, oversized leather seating, and dim overhead lights. Coupled with an attentive wait staff, the scene is set just right. But besides the accommodations, you'll equally fall in love with the food.

From huge shrimp cocktail to lightly breaded, lump crab cakes, Benjamin offers an array of traditional steakhouse favorites and some out-of the box replacements. Take for instance the baked Canadian bacon served crisp and moist with a bit of steak sauce and a Caesar salad; such a burst of flavor; and it's is just an appetizer. The main course was well worth the wait. Just ask Benjamin Steakhouse's Executive Chef, Arturo McLeod. "You can't go wrong with the porter house," one of the restaurants most popular dishes. Delectable sirloin and filet mignon are served with the most delicious cream(less) spinach and fried, hashed potatoes. This is a treat you can't beat.

We caught up with the native Panamanian to get some of the kitchen action.

According to McLeod, the key to the perfect porter house steak is the aging process; "That's where the tenderness and juiciness comes in," says McLeod. The meat is kept in a freezer for 28 days at 37 degrees. "We never freeze the meat," he says, a stickler for a moist sirloin.

Once the meat has seen 28 days, an electric saw is used to slice the meat three-quarters of an inch thick. Then the fat is removed from the meat, and it is seasoned with whole grain salt and black pepper, then broiled and baked.

If you have leftovers, McLeod suggests preheating your oven to 350 degrees, then bringing it down to 200 degrees once the steak is placed in. This will ensure that the steak stays tender. "The Microwave will overcook your steak," notes McLeod. " I like to see someone enjoy what they came to eat."

For his complete meal, check out Chef McLeod's recipe for Cream-Less Spinach.